Munitions

FAB-500M-54 GPB

Also known as
  • FAB-500M-54
  • FAB-500 M-54
  • FAB-500 M54
  • FAB-500M-54 GPB

The FAB-500M-54 GPB is a Soviet high-explosive, free-fall aerial bomb in the 500 kg FAB family. Museum and reference sources identify the M-54 as a 1954 high-drag model, OSMP documents a tentative FAB-500 M54 munition in Syria in 2015, and CMO-DB loadout tables connect the designation to legacy Soviet and export strike aircraft.

FAB-500M-54 GPB, 500 kg general-purpose bomb, Munitions
Image source: Commons FAB-500 M54 Bomb.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union
Type
500 kg general-purpose bomb
Service note
Cold War Soviet bomb family
Produced
1954 onward

Specifications

Weight
528 kg in the Victory Museum exhibit; CMO-DB lists 474 kg
Length
2.142 m in the Victory Museum exhibit
Diameter
392 mm in the Victory Museum exhibit
Filling
High explosive
Warhead mass
450 kg in the Victory Museum exhibit
Explosive filling weight
201 kg
Model note
1954 high-drag/free-fall design
M-54 Recognition Features

Open-source munition documentation treats the M-54 as the high-drag branch of Soviet FAB bombs. OSMP notes two recognition features for the M-54 series: a forward ballistic ring and longitudinal levelling bars on the bomb body.

Bomb class

Free-fall high-explosive aerial bomb in the 500 kg class.

Cataloged dimensions

The Victory Museum exhibit lists 2,142 mm length, 392 mm diameter, 528 kg total mass, and 201 kg explosive mass.

Identification caution

Battlefield records may identify this model tentatively when markings or distinctive M-54 features are incomplete in available imagery.

Carrier Aircraft

CMO-DB loadout tables list the FAB-500M-54 GPB on the H-5/Il-28 family and several Soviet-designed tactical aircraft.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Harbin H-5 bomber, Twin-jet light bomber, Aircraft & UAVsHarbin H-5 bomberTwin-jet light bomber

CMO-DB lists the H-5 Beagle [Il-28 Copy] as carrying the FAB-500M-54 GPB in its loadout table.

Sources: CMO-DB FAB-500M-54 GPB

MiG-23, Variable-sweep fighter and fighter-bomber aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsMiG-23Variable-sweep fighter and fighter-bomber

CMO-DB lists MiG-23M loadouts carrying FAB-500M-54 GPB bombs, including short-range and long-range strike configurations.

Sources: CMO-DB MiG-23M Flogger B

Su-17, Variable-sweep wing fighter-bomber / ground-attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsSu-17Variable-sweep fighter-bomber

CMO-DB lists Su-17M-2 loadouts carrying FAB-500M-54 GPB bombs for strike missions.

Sources: CMO-DB Su-17M-2 Fitter D

Su-22 fighter-bomber, Variable-sweep-wing fighter-bomber / ground-attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsSu-22 fighter-bomberExport fighter-bomber

CMO-DB lists Su-22M-2K loadouts carrying FAB-500M-54 GPB bombs in multiple strike profiles.

Sources: CMO-DB Su-22M-2K Fitter H

Su-24, Variable-geometry tactical bomber and strike aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsSu-24Tactical bomber and strike aircraft

CMO-DB lists Su-24M loadouts carrying FAB-500M-54 GPB bombs, including light-strike loadouts.

Sources: CMO-DB Su-24M Fencer D

Timeline

FAB-500M-54 GPB Key Events

  1. M-54 bomb pattern appears

    Open references and museum cataloging identify FAB-500M-54 as the 1954 member of the 500 kg FAB bomb family.

    Sources: Victory Museum FAB-500M-54 exhibit, FAB-500 - Wikipedia

  2. Tentative FAB-500 M54 documented in Syria

    OSMP records a delivered, unfunctioned air-delivered bomb at Talbisah, Homs, as a tentative FAB-500 M54 on the first day of Russia's Syria air campaign.

    Sources: OSMP481 FAB-500 M54 Syria

Media

FAB-500M-54 GPB Images

FAB-500M-54 GPB, 500 kg general-purpose bomb, Munitions - view 1
Source: Commons FAB-500 M54 aerial bomb in Park Patriot 01.jpg
FAB-500M-54 GPB, 500 kg general-purpose bomb, Munitions - view 2
Source: Commons FAB-500 M54 aerial bomb in Park Patriot 03.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
FAB-250, 250 kg general-purpose free-fall aviation bomb, MunitionsMunitionsFAB-250250 kg general-purpose free-fall aviation bombThe FAB-250 is a Soviet-origin 250 kg general-purpose aviation bomb family built around unguided free-fall bodies and later adapted in some wars through improvised carriers or glide-kit conversion. WeaponsSystems.net describes the FAB M62 series as a Soviet free-fall bomb family with a common 250 kg version produced by Bazalt, while direct conflict reporting links FAB-250-class bombs to Azerbaijan's converted An-2 aircraft in 2020 and to Russian and Ukrainian strike adaptations in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
FAB-250 UMPK, 250 kg glide-and-correction bomb, MunitionsMunitionsFAB-250 UMPK250 kg glide-and-correction bombThe FAB-250 UMPK is a Soviet-origin FAB-250 aviation bomb fitted with Russia's UMPK glide-and-correction kit. The conversion gives a 250 kg bomb a pop-out-wing stand-off role, with direct Ukrainian reporting documenting FAB-250 UMPK use in the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War and Ukrainian military intelligence tying the kit's frame, wings, SMART control package, Kometa-aided navigation, and UMPK-250 assembly to Russia's wartime guided-bomb production chain.

Sources

CMO-DB FAB-500M-54 GPBPublisher: CMO-DB | Note: Supports the exact FAB-500M-54 GPB designation, core specifications, and the Harbin H-5 Beagle [Il-28 Copy] loadout table listing this bomb variant. | Accessed: 2026-06-27CMO-DB MiG-23M Flogger BPublisher: CMO-DB | Note: Supports MiG-23M loadout rows listing FAB-500M-54 GPB bomb carriage. | Accessed: 2026-07-02CMO-DB Su-17M-2 Fitter DPublisher: CMO-DB | Note: Supports Su-17M-2 loadout rows listing FAB-500M-54 GPB bomb carriage. | Accessed: 2026-07-02CMO-DB Su-22M-2K Fitter HPublisher: CMO-DB | Note: Supports Su-22M-2K loadout rows listing FAB-500M-54 GPB bomb carriage. | Accessed: 2026-07-02CMO-DB Su-24M Fencer DPublisher: CMO-DB | Note: Supports Su-24M loadout rows listing FAB-500M-54 GPB bomb carriage. | Accessed: 2026-07-02FAB-500 - WikipediaPublisher: Wikipedia | Note: Supports the FAB-500 family origin in the Soviet Union, the 1954 M-54 model context, dimensions, filling, and internal carriage background. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Victory Museum FAB-500M-54 exhibitPublisher: Victory Museum | Note: Supports FAB-500M-54 exhibit identity, Soviet origin, free-fall high-explosive bomb type, dimensions, total mass, warhead mass, and explosive mass. | Accessed: 2026-07-02OSMP FAB-500 M54 modelPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports M-54-series recognition features including the forward ballistic ring and longitudinal levelling bars. | Accessed: 2026-07-02OSMP481 FAB-500 M54 SyriaPublisher: Open Source Munitions Portal | Note: Supports the 2011 Syrian Civil War conflict-use row by documenting a delivered, unfunctioned air-delivered bomb at Talbisah, Homs, on 2015-09-30 as a tentative FAB-500 M54 and linking it to Airwars reporting on Russian aircraft strikes. | Accessed: 2026-07-02PISM Russian Intervention in Syria 2016Publisher: Polish Institute of International Affairs | Note: Supports Russian combat use of FAB-500M-54 bombs during the 2011 Syrian Civil War. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Airwars RS002 TalbisahPublisher: Airwars | Note: Supports the Talbisah airstrike context linked from OSMP's tentative FAB-500 M54 record. | Accessed: 2026-07-02Commons FAB-500 M54 Bomb.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for the primary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Commons FAB-500 M54 aerial bomb in Park Patriot 01.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a secondary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27Commons FAB-500 M54 aerial bomb in Park Patriot 03.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing page for a secondary gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-06-27